The Role of Litter in Antisocial Behavior

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Nicola Davis: If you really want to crack down antisocial behavior, there are other things that might be considered to be banned first. Alcohol has well known health problems that's associated with it. And in fact, other drugs or alcohol were considered more strongly associated with antisocial behavior. She asks experts if they have an alternative strategy for tackling nitrous oxide without actually making possession illegal.

The UK government recently announced plans to make the possession of laughing gas for recreational use a criminal offence. Nitrous oxide, also known as “nos”, is hugely popular among young people, and doctors have raised concerns about a rise in cases of nerve damage linked to the use of the drug. Ian Sample speaks to science correspondent Nicola Davis about the reasons behind the ban, the risks associated with using nitrous oxide and what experts have made of the government’s decision. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod